Every factory is different, so being able to be flexible in how they communicate with these varying systems, personalities and cultures is key to successfully making a product. In this industry the relationships we have are one of the biggest factors in attaining our end goals. It would be very beneficial for students in design and merchandising to learn about the intricacies associated with sourcing on all levels, but even good fashion schools are lacking in that department.
If going into a sourcing profession, one should be required to study tech design. Sourcing will most likely only get easier from here, but it is still a complex and essential component of design work.
The most important part of her job is to find the perfect combination of materials to make the garment or collection work for the customer. There are so many steps and considerations to review when making these design decisions and you can tell she takes pride in her work to fulfill her customers needs. As merchandisers, it is up to us to know where the products come from, and what it takes for them to get into the stores and to the customer.
Sourcing is an incredibly important piece of the fashion industry because without it, where would production begin?
Overall, us merchandisers will benefit in our future positions if we have a better knowledge of sourcing and what it takes to get a product into production, because it will make it easier for us to communicate and build relationships with our coworkers. Why Fashion Merchandisers Need to Know about Sourcing: No matter where an idea begins, the execution of that idea starts with sourcing.
A designers idea is sent to a factory that is the best match for their specific needs. Merchandisers need to connect the designer and their customers to the proper factory so that this sourcing factory can carry out the creation of a garment specific to customers needs and designers ideas.
Merchandisers are like the glue that holds the chain of events together. Therefore they must need to know about everything in this chain of events, especially sourcing. Sourcing is one of the fastest growing sectors in the entire fashion industry therefore it is increasingly become crucial for fashion merchandisers to understand it.
Sourcing is one of the main variables in creating a product in every step, from cut to ship there is sourcing strategy involved. For fashion merchandisers entering the work source it would be a tremendous step up if you have knowledge on sourcing because it is one of the ways brands can cut production costs and lower expenses dramatically.
I believe sourcing is crucial to know and be aware of as a merchandiser. Fashion merchandisers also need to have an understanding of sourcing because they have many deadlines they need to meet and likely want a fast speed to market.
Having this knowledge will allow them to source quality apparel at a decent price and get the items to market when needed. As a merchandiser it is important to understand the role sourcing plays in the fashion industry. Merchandisers need to understand where garments are sourced from when buying their assortments.
Certain factories specialize in particular aspects of apparel, so it is beneficial to decide where products will be sourced for optimal specialization. Labor and product costs also vary between factories so merchandisers need to decide what merchandise is best to produce where based on cost and material restrictions.
Merchandisers can make ethical decisions and be conscious of the factory standards from which they are purchasing garments if they understand where the product is sourced.
Knowledge of sourcing can also help merchandisers effectively communicate with colleagues in the industry. For example, a T-Shirt can have fibers from Australia, that can be woven into fabric in China, that can be cut and sewn in factories in Thailand and shipped overseas to the United States.
Li and Fung acts as the middle man, connecting these clients to factories with the best price and expertise of factories. Understanding the global supply chain and talking with industry professionals from all over the world is important for a merchandiser as they are responsible for meeting the needs of their consumer. After being a fashion merchandising student for three years, I feel like almost all of my classes have stressed the importance of truly understanding what a merchandiser actually does and the many processes you oversee as a merchandiser, such as sourcing.
As a fashion merchandising major, the majority of my classes have stressed the importance of how much each individual job type such as buying, sourcing, designing or planning are all intertwined. Its extremely important as a fashion major to understand the different rules, regulations and current events around the world because these will overall affect exactly when and where you will be able to source from.
With consumers starting to become more conscious and aware of the products and garments they buy and wear, each employee in a company should have knowledge on every other aspect of their team and their values. Merchandising can encompass many areas of the apparel production process, and one of the most important areas is sourcing.
We learned from the Rana Plaza article that if a company does not wisely select where they will source from, their image can be destroyed and their sales may go down as a result. As a merchandiser, it is important to understand trade policies as well as important safety and ethics issues in order to have a full understanding of where a garment comes from and how it will get from the raw materials stage to the consumer. A merchandiser is key person in whole order processing hence sourcing is the integral part of merchandising activities.
Having the knowledge of sourcing opens up that door for better decision making in the process of our jobs as merchandisers. Being up to date with global sourcing trends and current events can only benefit you as a merchandiser. Before taking the FASH course, I was unaware of how much involvement the merchandiser has in the global aspect of the fashion industry.
It is easy to just look at the industry on a small scale and to not consider the other factors that would affect a position as a merchandiser. As mentioned in the video and in class, the trade agreements have an enormous affect on the industry as a whole, but also play a part in the decisions made by merchandisers on a day to day business in terms of where a product should be made. Many people believe that buying is the only role that can be taken on by a graduate with a fashion merchandising degree, however, there are a plethora of different roles available other than being a buyer.
A majority of those other roles require knowledge about the sourcing aspect of the product development process. As a merchandiser, obtaining knowledge about sourcing is important in order to understand the textile and apparel industry as a whole.
This video explains perfectly the reasoning why I enjoyed this class so much. As a merchandiser, you need to not only understand your product itself, but where that product came from and how exactly it came to be the product it is today. A merchandiser needs to understand exactly where and how the product is coming to be in order to better understand how to cost, market, and sell that product. Most people outside of this industry think most things are just made overseas, in places with low labor costs like China and Bangladesh.
But with an understanding of sourcing after watching this video and taking this class, I know that products are manufactured in places like Mexico and Asia and that different countries specialize in different departments.
Merchandisers need to understand their product and its background to really know how to merchandise that product. Merchandisers are in charge of really knowing every aspect of the garments being sold and since we have learned that almost every garment has multiple different pieces that each come from different places around the world, merchandisers need to know the best factories and locations to work with in order to achieve the best, and most efficiently made product.
Merchandisers need to communicate with so many different people around the world and make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of the latest trade policies and any potential barriers that have been implemented. Merchandising is not easy, but it is very exciting because they are the ones who put the products together fundamentally and that is why I am excited to go into this sector of the industry. When thinking about fashion merchandising many people think about the glamorous idealization of the job including picking out the latest trends and styling their favorite celebrities.
However, many do not consider the meticulous detail that goes into the merchandise plan and all the different aspects that need to be considered. This video provided a good insight of the different day to day tasks that a merchandiser must face in order to get a product on the shelf.
The fashion industry is not all just fun and games and it is vital to have a detailed plan to ensure that the finished product is perfect. It is very important for merchandisers to know about sourcing because it is their job to not only know where the product came from but how it was made. This is also crucial because merchandisers need to have a product perfect for their consumer so they need to know about the product to fit their customer.
A merchandiser needs to know about sourcing to properly cater to these needs of their customer. For example, the merchandiser might be able to find a better quality fabric from another country or find products at cheaper prices when sourcing from one country instead of another.
Merchandisers also need to know about sourcing so that they can get their products to their customer on time. If it takes twice as long to get materials or products from a certain country, it might be more beneficial to switch where they source from because they will be able to get the merchandise on the floor and to their consumers quicker.
Merchandisers also need to know about sourcing so that they can accurately price and sell the product. If a product comes from a cheaper manufacturer, then they can price it lower and if a product is made with completely recycled materials, they can advertise this to their customers and let them know the product is eco-friendly. I definitely agree that as a merchandiser, being knowledgeable about sourcing is very important. Since the industry so heavily on outsourcing products from all over the world, it is important for merchandisers to be well aware of the different options available to them.
Furthermore, in my internship experience this summer we focused a lot on where our vendors sourced their goods from and how much this would effect our lead time and the quickness to stores. Since I worked at an off price retailer, we wanted most of our merchandise to get to the floors as quick as possible. For these reasons, sourcing can be very important for buyers. Moreover, I think that is also important for merchandisers to not only be aware of sourcing but to also know what is going on in the economic and political environments globally.
For instance, new tariffs, trade deals, or lack there of, could effect sourcing from certain manufacturers. It is important to be aware of sourcing as a merchandiser because it is important to know about where the clothing you are working with has come from and if it was made in a safe and quality environment.
You have to ensure that the factory that you are sourcing from has the skills needed to make the garments that you are requesting. What majors are typically interested in becoming Purchasing, Merchandising, and Procurement Agents? On top of a relevant degree and formal training, here are some professional skills that can help aspiring Purchasing, Merchandising, and Procurement Agents succeed in their work:.
What are some common questions about Purchasing, Merchandising, and Procurement Agents? A: Purchasing Agents buy parts and materials meant to create the goods, while Purchasing Buyers are in charge of buying quality finished goods.
The less you can spend on materials, the better the profit margins for your business. Cost savings are important, but, if you are too cheap and buy shoddy materials, your resulting product is of lesser quality. It is important to retain standards of quality because your customers want quality, too! Often category managers with specific know how are required to ensure you can streamline the process. Sourcing is a balancing act.
It is the process of requesting quotes for new products, obtaining vendor information and uploading into your procurement software, determining the lead time, pricing, minimum order quantities, and so on. Generally, this is done one time for each supplier, with the exception of updating pricing information.
With global sourcing you may find a more expensive supplier may be more reliable and able to deal with larger volumes than your preferred cheaper alternative. Or you may need to identify alternative suppliers due to supply chain risks.
Before sourcing can begin, you must assess your purchasing needs, map out a plan, conduct market research, and identify potential suppliers.
From there the specific sourcing activities may depend on the requirements of the specific sourcing event. Then, the process repeats for all other purchasing needs, until suppliers are in place for everything you must buy. Sourcing is finding and vetting the suppliers of those materials.
Both involve the materials you need to operate your business. Sourcing happens to make procurement easier. The main difference is sourcing focuses on direct goods and services, while procurement focuses on indirect goods and services. Many factors come into play, such as the size of the organization, industry, and business structure. The procurement department can address ordering and managing indirect goods or services.
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